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Granted, it could have been edited to be a bit clearer, but careful reading shows that the writer is referring to 28 grams of animal protein.
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Or...that's what they want you to think (slanted writing). If it's not slanted writing, it would have gotten me a less than stellar grade in writing class.
I haven't had time to check their resources but I have to admit to being a bit suspicious of their figures.
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Nowhere in this article are they advocating a diet based on 28 grams of protein.
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Not blatantly, but what I infer from that, especially when they also state that an average Western diet (where they pointedly mention we have the greatest problem with obesity) is that we are eating double what the average person on the planet does and this is somehow excess; even more so if we, heaven forbid, increase that amount of protein to actually sustain our lean body mass or even increase it.
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what are the probable ecological implications that would result from a massive, global shift toward a low-carb diet by 1 billion overweight dieters (however unlikely such a shift may be)?
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Well..first of all we have to assume that 1 billion dieters are overweight. A fair assumption since they are trying to lose weight, eating disorders aside. Second...those 1 billion dieters are, I also presume, included in those protein consumption figures worldwide. One does have to ask the question of how they got to be overweight consuming between 28 and 56 grams of protein per person per day; obviously it wasn't their protein consumption that got them there. Third...it's quite unlikely that all 1 billion dieters are going to shift to a low carb lifestyle, also presuming that they have to buy or catch/kill their protein and in some economies that would be cost prohibitive, not to mention that low carb isn't for all dieters and I don't recall seeing any movements recently to impose low carb on all persons wishing to lose weight...it is still a free choice last time I checked.
Some other good points have been made in the other thread going on this subject regarding the fact that not all available land is suitable for grain raising. New Zeeland, for example. And that there is currently much land not being used for either cattle or agriculture that would easily sustain cattle, but not agriculture.
IMHO, I consider the above article to be something akin to scare tactics or at the very least alarmist: "If everyone who wants to lose weight switches to low carb instead of the food pyramid, the world will starve!".